Planning on ordering a "Superstrat"

[tokyo tapes]

...And need some input. The brands I'm looking at are: Charvel, Luxxtone, Fender CS, Tyler or similar. Let me tell you what like: I come from the "vintage" camp and need a guitar with that kind of aesthetics and feel but with modern/hot rodded features. I love the Music Zoo Charvel Nitro Aged. I want an aged/relic finish. I also think the Luxxtone El Machete is ultra cool.

The features I know I want is:

-HSS or H and S neck pickup only (the latter seems more likely)
-Vintage trem (sorry no Floyd )
-Maple neck

What I haven't decided on yet:

-Body wood (must be very light. Thinking Alder or Ash)
-Pickup brand (must be white/cream color )
-Color

What do you guys think? The body wood and pickups are the most crucial.

Cheers

/Ulf

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

ESP Horizon III

SssSSshhhh... Just do it.

 

[Badronald]

American Standard. Used. $600. Play 50 of them if you have to to find the right one. They're everywhere. Pulled out all electronics. Bourns pots, Suhr Aldrich, Duncan Quarter Pounder (insert whatever you like). Polished frets (I'd like to try Stainless Steel some day). Killer set up.
Can't see why people spend $2,000+ for a Superstrat. Seems silly to me but.

All of these have upgraded electronics with a variety of pickups as well. There are more I just don't have pics.

 

[lester]

No need to order nuthin - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=120098

 

[tripstan]

If you want "vintage" vibe/aesthetics is in relic'd: Luxxtone gets my vote. They do the relic'd look w/ modern features like nobody else. Fender CS relic'd stuff is a rip off. You get twice the guitar for half the price. Tyler and Suhr etc. . are great but don't do the hotrod relic'd thing like Luxx does.

 

[tokyo tapes]

If you want "vintage" vibe/aesthetics is in relic'd: Luxxtone gets my vote. They do the relic'd look w/ modern features like nobody else. Fender CS relic'd stuff is a rip off. You get twice the guitar for half the price. Tyler and Suhr etc. . are great but don't do the hotrod relic'd thing like Luxx does.

Thanks! What about the different sound characteristics of light Alder as opposed to light (swamp) Ash? Pickups?

 

[Dave L]

I would include GMW on that list, as well. When Charvel was out of commission in the 90s they basically filled the niche for classic hot rods. I don´t know if they do relics, but everything else should work out fine and for a fair price.

 

[thiswaythatway]

American Standard. Used. $600. Play 50 of them if you have to to find the right one. They're everywhere. Pulled out all electronics. Bourns pots, Suhr Aldrich, Duncan Quarter Pounder (insert whatever you like). Polished frets (I'd like to try Stainless Steel some day). Killer set up.
Can't see why people spend $2,000+ for a Superstrat. Seems silly to me but.

Then the guy with the 200 dollar Squire wants to know why anyone would spend $600 on a strat. The thing is, I have a hard time finding any good strats because next to my Anderson, all the Fenders feel like plastic.

 

[rupe]

American Standard. Used. $600. Play 50 of them if you have to to find the right one. They're everywhere. Pulled out all electronics. Bourns pots, Suhr Aldrich, Duncan Quarter Pounder (insert whatever you like). Polished frets (I'd like to try Stainless Steel some day). Killer set up.
Can't see why people spend $2,000+ for a Superstrat. Seems silly to me but.

Then the guy with the 200 dollar Squire wants to know why anyone would spend $600 on a strat. The thing is, I have a hard time finding any good strats because next to my Anderson, all the Fenders feel like plastic.

Exactly...and then there's the guy playing $8000 DeTemples and D'Pergos who thinks Anderson and Suhr are pedestrian.

 

[thiswaythatway]

American Standard. Used. $600. Play 50 of them if you have to to find the right one. They're everywhere. Pulled out all electronics. Bourns pots, Suhr Aldrich, Duncan Quarter Pounder (insert whatever you like). Polished frets (I'd like to try Stainless Steel some day). Killer set up.
Can't see why people spend $2,000+ for a Superstrat. Seems silly to me but.

Then the guy with the 200 dollar Squire wants to know why anyone would spend $600 on a strat. The thing is, I have a hard time finding any good strats because next to my Anderson, all the Fenders feel like plastic.

Exactly...and then there's the guy playing $8000 DeTemples and D'Pergos who thinks Anderson and Suhr are pedestrian.

DOOOOD. I swear, I sold a guitar to a guy, and he sold it 2 days later. It was an Anderson. He goes like this, " I don't want to sound like a corksniffer but I'm done with Anderson and Suhr. Once you play a D'Pergo the Anderson' and Suhr the step up in quality is dramatic and I can't play a Suhr or Anderson ever again".

Of course when I called the guy his secretary answered the phone.

 

[Badronald]

American Standard. Used. $600. Play 50 of them if you have to to find the right one. They're everywhere. Pulled out all electronics. Bourns pots, Suhr Aldrich, Duncan Quarter Pounder (insert whatever you like). Polished frets (I'd like to try Stainless Steel some day). Killer set up.
Can't see why people spend $2,000+ for a Superstrat. Seems silly to me but.

Then the guy with the 200 dollar Squire wants to know why anyone would spend $600 on a strat. The thing is, I have a hard time finding any good strats because next to my Anderson, all the Fenders feel like plastic.

Yeah, that's an apples to apples comparison.

I've played a few Anderson's and they felt all wrong to me. The last one I tried out was one of the hollow ones. It sounded terrible and truly felt like a piece of plastic. Fret ends weren't finished well at all. I'm sure they make nice stuff, but there's no way in hell I'd order one without playing it first based on the Anderson's I've played. That's my experience. It couldn't compare to my Stratocasters that I've picked over the last decade.

Just like many guitars I've picked over the years, I've had to weed through the crap to find sweet ones. Gibsons are the worst. $3,000+ guitars hanging on the walls at GC that feel and play like junk. I went on a PRS search last year when I sold my LPC and must have played 25 of them and I couldn't believe how cheap most of them felt. Absolutely dead sounding.

Anyway.....

 

[Digital Jams]

If you want the original hot rodded superstrat that created all the buzz you contact Chubtone and start talking Charvel custom shop. That shop has nothing to do with fender and guys in there were building shit for all the 80s shredders back in the day. Curt has been used for references when charvel books were being researched and he had one of the craziest collections around. He is close to the shop as well and has contacts there as well if there are questions or concerns. PLus it helps that he is an insane player.

My last "bucket list" guitar will be a charvel ordered through Curt.

 

[Digital Jams]

Oh yeah, if you want that nitro relic job let me save you a ton of money.

Just get that nitro body nice and warm and shoot it with several cans of freon. How the fender and gibson custom shops do it. The nitro will crack like dirt in death valley.

 

[nevusofota]

I would have to agree with the Charvel Custom Shop. I purchased mine here on RT a few months ago and can't put it down. Someone once said they are like crack for guitar players. Now I understand.

 

[tokyo tapes]

Thanks, but I was more after those with experience of the difference between light Alder and light Ash. Choosing the brand will come later when I know the all the features and wood selction. The pickup issue is not solved either. I'm looking for a PAFish kind of HB perhaps with a VH twist (Arcane SD?) it has to be double cream

 

[MountAnDewMe]

Fender made a vintage modified line of 2 strats and a tele a few years back.

 

[geese_com]

How about a Vigier?

 

[alan67]

Luxxtone

 

[cardinal]

I'd suggest a Mamywoo (however that's spelled) Tyler. I played a couple that were incredible and seem like what you're interested in. That said, all I play are Andersons and I have not played a Luxxtone.

 

[Digital Jams]

Thanks, but I was more after those with experience of the difference between light Alder and light Ash. Choosing the brand will come later when I know the all the features and wood selction. The pickup issue is not solved either. I'm looking for a PAFish kind of HB perhaps with a VH twist (Arcane SD?) it has to be double cream

Curt from Squidmusic has pick-up clips going through many different PAF type pups as that is what he plays. HE also I believe plays Arcane pups.

Regarding the ash vs alder I have a GMW with ash body loaded with a PAF type pup and several alder charvels loaded with SD 59s and custom PAF type pups and they differ in tones. I find the Alder to be more rounded while the ash a tad more pronounced in the upper mids.

PM Chubtone and talk to him.